As my Facebook friends already know, I was contacted a couple of months ago by an educational publisher I have worked with several times before. The material I have produced for them previously has all been to do with self-study language learning at different levels and in different modes/formats, but this time they asked me if I’d be interested in producing a more “fact-based” book. Both the topic and the type of content* they were looking for immediately appealed to me, but I didn’t immediately say yes: this kind of project obviously brings a lot of extra work with it and when you have a steady full-time job that more than fills your days a lot of the time, you don’t necessarily hold your hand out for more. On the other hand, I do know from past experience that this kind of writing keeps you on your toes in a different way, sharpens your mind and brings out a lot of new and differently packaged material that in turn stimulates the production of creative teaching materials – in other words, it’s a valuable form of re-investment.

While I was still in the fairly static phase of mulling these things over, I semi-casually mentioned the matter on Facebook and was immediately bowled over by how enthusiastic everyone else was about this kind of project. Those working in academic research reminded me of the hoops you have to jump through just to get an article published, let alone a book, while others who are in various branches of the teaching profession were also fired up by the idea of reaching a wider audience beyond the familiar class/student profile. Ultimately I was convinced that this was an opportunity that I needed to grab, and I’m very grateful to everyone who helped me take that decision.

Now, several weeks later, I’m several steps further on – they asked for some sample content based on the basic outline I’d been given, which I provided, and they were pleased with that, saying that I could certainly actually use most of it in the finished product and that the contract was mine if I wanted it. I said yes.

My first submission deadline is tomorrow – a detailed chapter-by-chapter, page-by-page(!) breakdown of the content I plan to include. I’ve been working on it solidly the last couple of days and it’s now FINISHED. It’s all subject to change, of course, depending on the feedback I get from the project manager and the person who’s been assigned as my editor, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they’ll like the basic outline…

* I’m being intentionally vague here as I’m under contractual obligation not to divulge details (sorry!)